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5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Buy Your Next Dog Toy
A good dog toy should be a vital part of your training toolkit. As well as motivating and rewarding your dog, they help you improve that all-important bond by helping you simply having fun together.
At Tug-E-Nuff we hand make a huge range of dog training toys to suit dogs of every breed, size, personality and training level. However, we know that choosing from the range available can sometimes be a bit daunting – even for training pros.
When you’re splashing cash on training treats for your four-legged friend, you want to be sure you’re making the right choice.
That’s why we’ve put this post together with five questions to ask yourself before you start shopping. Hopefully, it will help you select the toys that your dog will love the most (and will help you get the best results!).
What size do I need?
It goes without saying that smaller dogs (and pups) have smaller mouths, so it’s important they have a training toy that they get their teeth into easily. We created our range for smaller dogs and puppies for exactly this reason. Toys like the Crazy Thing, which mimics the feathers of a bird, and our Rabbit Skin Chaser Tug are particularly well-suited to small breeds and young dogs.
What texture would my dog like?
Scent and texture are really important factors in a toy that are often overlooked. Every dog is different, but in our experience toys that are made with real fur, with its irresistible scent and unique texture, are really helpful for increasing motivation.
Lots of our toys have sheepskin or rabbit fur included, but real favourites with our customers include the Rabbit Skin Chaser and the Sheepskin Wondabaa PowerBall Bungee.
What does my dog enjoy the most?
For some dogs, the simple answer to this question is food. Getting foodie dogs excited about a toy can sometimes be a challenge, which is why we created our range of food toys that are perfect for persuading them to play.
For other dogs, nothing beats a tennis ball – but a tennis ball isn’t always the most helpful tool during training sessions. So we created our sheepskin bunger chaser with tennis ball, which combines two powerful rewards in one!
How will I use the toy?
All our Tug-E-Nuff Dog Gear toys are designed to be used actively rather than as chew toys. We make them out of the toughest materials on the market so you can trust that they’ll stand the test of time, even when played with by the most enthusiastic of dogs.
If you’re planning to use the toy primarily for playing tug with your dog, we recommend our range of bungee tugs which offer some extra cushioning for both of you.
What training goals do I want to achieve?
Before you buy, think about how a toy could help you achieve your current training goals. Certain toys are designed to be really versatile and super effective in the training ring, like our ever-popular Clam. This clever treat-dispensing toy is a huge hit with all kinds of dogs and can help make teaching tricks and routines that previously seemed a challenge into a breeze.
Once you’ve answered the above, you should have a good idea in mind of what to look out for in your new toy. Then all you need to decide on is your favourite colour – but we’ll leave that one to you!
Looking for ways to play with your new tuggy? Discover 4 fun games to play with a tug toy!
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